Tea Mei meets the Avatar
by DragonsCatsandBooks
Summary: Alright, Aang gets to meet a Fire and a Water bender in one and she has no idea about it, and Aang has to teach her.  Note: I didn't write the first chapter, but I'm planning to add to the story


Laender

Tae Mei

The last thing my brother said to me before he left to fight in the war was "Not everyone wants this war, Tae Mei. But the Fire Lord wants it, so the nation has to follow."

But now we have a new fire lord, so shouldn't the armies come home? Shouldn't my brother be sleeping in his own bed, in his own homeland?

Shouldn't this war be over?

"So, where to sleep…" Aang muttered, looking down on ocean.

"Well, unless we want to sleep with the fishes, I think we need to keep flying." Sokka said, blinking sleep from his eyes. Aang nodded.

"What about that island down there? It seems like it's okay." Katara said, pointing over Appa's saddle to a small dot far below them.

"That works." Aang angled Appa down towards it.

"Tae Mei! Come in! Time for bed!" Mama called. I sighed, jumping off the branch of the Pineoak I had been walking on like a balance beam. I loved coming here, but Mama always seemed bent on family bonding. I would've much rather eaten bread and fireflakes and slept in a tent in the woods that surrounded the vacation home we spent the summer in. I was the "Wild Child" of the family just because I didn't want to be fifth in line for the throne. Maybe it was sixth. I wasn't sure.

Yes, you heard right. If the Fire Lord died, his Uncle would take his place. Then his sister-if she had recovered, then my parents, then my brother, then me. The Fire Lady Ursa- she was my aunt. Everyone says I look just like her. But past looks, I'm nothing like my caring, patient aunt. Sometimes people compared me to Azula when she was still the beautiful, perfect, ambitious princess. I'm shy, but so impatient, it's almost like I'm two different people, trapped in one body.

"There's nothing here but woods and a small house." Toph said, scrunching her toes and frowning. "Should we set up camp?"

"I don't see anywhere else to go." Katara said, rolling out the tent.

In no hurry to go to bed, I took the long way back to the house. Nobody in the fire nation knew these woods like me- I'd spent every summer and winter here ever since I was a baby.

Plus, most people- including my mother, sadly- thought these woods were haunted. I'm pretty sure that's the main reason I'm always the only one in here.

Of course, that's when I walked straight into someone. Or, more accurately, four someones and a giant pile of fur.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a graceful entrance. Or a welcomed one. Mainly it consisted of me tripping over a log, tumbling headfirst into the giant pile of fur.

Then, of course, is when my shy side decided to show itself for once. The one time I need my impatience and bluntness, it takes the day off. Once the giant pile of fur groaned and started MOVING, I desperately looked around for a tree to climb. Just as I started, I realized what part of the woods I was in- the clearing. The only clearing. The nearest tree was at the other edge, too far away for a hasty retreat.

"Hi!" I looked up, towards the direction of the voice, and saw a head poking over the giant pile of fur. I recognized that voice.

"Kuzon?" I asked, puzzled. He'd gone to our school for two days, almost gotten beat up by my best friend's boyfriend, hosted a dance party in a cave, and then disappeared. He was the weirdest new kid ever.

"No, my name's Aang." He said, jumping down. I saw his tattoos, and all I could manage was a:

"Homygawdyou'retheavatar."

I must of stood there with my mouth hanging open for at least a minute. I know what you're going to say- a minute isn't that long in the grand scheme of your life. But when you're surrounded with the people who just saved the world, well, a minute is pretty long.

"Are you okay?" I was startled out of my stupor by a concerned looking girl waving her hand in front of my eyes.

"Huh? What? Oh, yea, I'm fine. Just kinda… shocked." I blushed fire red. "Wh-What are you doing in my woods?"

"Your woods?" Aang asked, looking skeptical.

"Well, they're not really mine. Everyone else thinks that they're haunted. I'm the only one who ever goes in them, but I know them like the back of my hand."

"We just have a thing for haunted woods, don't we? We can't just camp out in normal, angry-spirit free woods for a change?" Another person jumped down from the fur pile. This one was a boy, almost a man, in water tribe garb. I looked back at the girl and realized she was in water tribe garb too. The Aang kid was wearing orange and yellow.

"Oh, the spirit isn't angry. At least, not with me. I saw her once. She smiled at me. Is it normal for a spirit to smile?" I wondered aloud.

"Usually no. Most spirits aren't exactly the smiles and happiness type." Aang said.

"Huh. Oh! You must think I'm rude. My name is Tae Mei." I smiled apologetically.

"Well, I'm Aang, that's Katara, Sokka, and Toph." I nodded. Katara was the girl in water tribe carb. Toph must be the smaller girl wearing green. My shy took over again. What a time.

"Well, we best be going. We don't want a repeat of what happened in the last haunted woods we camped in." Sokka said, tossing something up onto the giant fur pile.

"But I just told you. Th-they aren't haunted." I said quietly.

"Sure they aren't. And that's why we're leaving." Sokka continued to throw things up onto the mountain of fur. It groaned.

"Calm down, Appa. It's okay. We're not going to make you fly any more tonight, buddy. No matter what Sokka says." Aang patted the giant fur pile.

"If you're scared of the woods, you can sleep in my house. We have a couple extra rooms, but I mean, you don't have to. Only if you want." I said quietly, tracing foot in the dirt.

"Well, this is exactly what happened the last time we camped in haunted woods. Next we're going to find out you're from the southern water tribe, and you escaped from prison. Then you're going to teach Katara-…" Katara shot Sokka a glare that silenced him midsentence.

"I'm sure she's not a waterbender, Sokka. Calm down. She's not a mysterious old lady."

"Right. Sure Katara. Sure." Sokka didn't look convinced. I was surprised he even thought that. Me? A waterbender? I'd never heard anything so crazy. I was a firebender, for flames' sake!

"Well Sokka, it all worked out last time, so what's to say it won't work out again?" Aang said, shrugging.

"I have to agree with Twinkle Toes on this one, Snoozles." Toph said. "She's telling the truth. Not even a flicker."

"Mama just called me in a few minutes ago. She won't object to the avatar. She'd be honored. We all would." I almost whispered, wanting desperately to melt into the shadows. They turned, and in a mass of flurried whispers, the four huddled and decided. I heard "safe" "fire nation" and "truth" come up a lot.

"Thank you." Aang said, a few minutes later.

"Do you have any meat?" Sokka cut in. I giggled.

"Of course. Mama made roast duck for dinner. There's plenty left over. Are you staying, then?" I asked.

"Mmm, duck. Where exactly is your house?" Sokka muttered.

"Follow me. Are you bringing Appa?"

"Mama!" I called, entering the small clearing the cottage was built in.

"Tae Mei!" She said, rushing out and clutching me. "Where have you been? I was worried sick. I called you in an hour ago! I thought for sure the spirit had gotten you."

"Mama, if I've told you once, I've told you a million times. The spirit is nice. She's not out to get anyone. I… I kind of found the Avatar and invited him to stay here for the night. Is that okay, Mama?" I gestured towards Aang and his group. Mama gasped.

"Okay? I am honored." She clasped her hands together in the flame and bowed. I was shocked- Mama never bowed to anyone. We were high nobles, and since Avatar Roku was my great-grandfather, we were only required to bow to the Fire Lord or his immediate family.

"No, don't bow." Aang said. "I don't deserve it." I could tell Mama was shocked at his humble attitude. She could tell he was uncomfortable with formality. How does she know body language so well?

"Come in, Avatar. Your friends are welcome as well. Are you hungry?" She said, ushering them inside. "Tae Mei, it's time for bed." She whispered as she walked past. I hurried after her.

"But Mama, it's the Avatar. I can't sleep with the Avatar in our house!" She frowned.

"Fine, Tae Mei. But just this once." She stated. "We have roast duck, salad, and bread." She told the four heroes. "Sit down and make yourselves comfortable."

"Is that firecake?" Sokka asked, eyeing the half eaten cake on the counter. Mama smiled.

"Not until you eat your duck. I don't make exceptions, even with the people who just brought down the most evil man in the world." She teased. I giggled.

"Aww…"

Aang tossed and turned. The house was silent, and he could hear Sokka's snores from the other side of the room. That wasn't what was keeping him up. He sat up and looked around. Tae Mei's family had a nice house, if he could only judge by this room. Instead of only reds, oranges, and yellows, the room was full of blues and greens as well. Something was different about this family- most fire nation families made it a point to accessorize their homes with reds, oranges, and yellows. This one had all the colors of the nations, with relics from the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes.

_Avatar. _Aang looked around for the speaker.

_Come with me, Avatar. There is someone who wishes to see you._ Aang looked over at the window. A woman stood there, wispy and insubstantial. She was smiling. Who was she? A spirit, that was for certain. And Tae Mei had mentioned something about how the spirit of this forest smiled.

_Yes, Avatar. I am the spirit of this forest. Come. _Aang was shocked. This spirit could read minds. He got up from the bed and followed her into the depths of the forest.

"Where are you taking me? What's wrong?"

_Nothing is wrong, young Avatar. Quite the contrary. _

"Then why are you here?" Aang asked, running to catch up with the spirit.

_I am merely the one to fetch you. Roku will tell you why __**you **__are here. _Aang looked down at his arms. Spirit. Aang looked up again to see Roku, smiling at him from Fang.

"Aang, there is something you must know about my family. Come with me."

"If the Avatar has children, The spirit of the Avatar can be born into one of them. It is not enough for the child to become a full Avatar, or even to be a bridge between worlds. There is, however, enough spirit for the person to be able to bend two elements. Usually, the child trains the next Avatar and serves as a guide. But this time, because of the iceberg, it is you who need to train her." Roku told Aang several minutes later.

"Who is she? And why do I need to train her?" Aang asked, confused.

"Her name is Tae Mei, and I believe you've met."

"Really? Her? She doesn't seem…" Aang's voice trailed off.

"Trust me, Aang. Tae Mei has been brought up knowing what the rest of the world knows, but the rebels can easily convince her otherwise. It is important that she knows why she has drastic mood swings, and why her eyes are blue. She is confused, and you can help her."

"Is her other element air? Is that why I need to train her?" Aang asked.

"No Aang. She is yin and yang in one, a dangerous combination. Not only is she a firebender, but she's also a waterbender. So your friend Katara could train her too." Roku said, looking at Aang. "Take care of my great-granddaughter." Aang watched his former life disappear in a whirlwind of smoke.

"A-Are you guys up? Mama says breakfast's ready." I poked my head into Katara and Toph's room. Katara smiled and finished braiding her hair. She was pretty- dark tan skin, wavy brown hair, sparkling blue eyes- kinda like mine-


End file.
